Project summary

Jointly funded by Stagecoach Devon and the University of the
West of England, this research is interested in the UK government's
concessionary fares policy for England, one of its initiatives to
tackle social exclusion amongst the elderly population. The scheme,
in place since April 2008 entitles those over 60 years of age to
free bus travel after 9:30 weekdays as well as all day at weekends
and has been the subject of much media attention due to a large
increase in demand resulting in reports of localised overcrowding
and budget deficits within local authorities.

The overarching aim of the research is to encourage a shift from
the current top down approach to analysing concessionary fares
policy- in other words concentrating on the effects of the pass
itself; towards a bottom up approach which seeks to understand the
behavioural and perceptual factors that influence the changes in
levels of bus patronage as a result of the pass.

To this end the following research questions are proposed, which
will be subject to change as them research progresses.

To what extent has the concessionary fares policy's stated aim
of tackling social exclusion been successful?

Can some the key assumptions underlying the scheme be
challenged? Could include questions such as the suitability of
using a free pass to tackle social exclusion and the assumption
that the over 60's couldn't have afforded bus travel prior to the
scheme.

What economic and psychological theories could give a better
insight into the individual's behavioural response to the
intervention of a free pass?

Is using age as a basis for segmentation the most effective
approach? Could segmentation by other variables such as income or
mobility levels be considered to better target those who are
socially excluded?